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Alan Oakes
- Thread starter bluekeith
- Start date
oakiecokie
Well-Known Member
bluekeith said:How close did Alan Oakes get to the 1970 world cup squad ? I know he was in the esso coins world cup squad so he must have been close ,if you have any more info that would be good always pickled me
Alan was very unfortunate that England had a true World Class player,playing in the same position as himself,Bobby Moore.Had Moore not been about then I would say that Alan would almost certainly have got some caps,but then along came another superb left wing back ...Norman Hunter.
Alan was so unlucky to have been born at the same time as Moore,but its nothing to be ashamed of,coming a runner up to a superb player and Captain such as Bobby Moore.I know Alan and was with him a couple of weeks ago and he`s not the sort of bloke that would go around complaining,just not his nature.
So glad that both him and his cousin Glyn Pardoe were at the time with one of the most successful Clubs in Europe and both coming from my home town of Winsford.
As an aside, I will be playing dominoes and having a fair few pints of liquid refreshment later tonight,with Alans elder brother,Ken,who is one of my best mates,hence my "glowing" report on Alan.
I was not sure if there was a preliminary squad then they had to cut it down and then you have the Pardoe is off to mexico song and I was not sure if they were in the preliminary squad very confusing . At least Alan will have his sterling silver set that esso made for all the players
Dave Ewing's Back 'eader
Well-Known Member
He didn't score many goals, didn't Alan, but I remember one thundering left footer!
laserblue
Well-Known Member
Dave Ewing's Back 'eader said:He didn't score many goals, didn't Alan, but I remember one thundering left footer!
I remember a few but the one you're thinking of may have been against Spurs at Maine Road. Straight from the kick off after Spurs had taken the lead the ball was played out to Summerbee who put a cross in and Oakes hit the hardest shot I think I've ever seen on the volley from about 25 yards out. If the ball hadn't hit the back of the net it would have gone into orbit. The Spurs fans were still celebrating their goal. Honourable mentions for one at Coventry and home to Athletic Bilbao too.
WyongBlue
Well-Known Member
Remember Alan scoring against Middlesbrough in the 75/76 League Cup Semi, I was in the North Stand that night and it was a cracking goal he scored, he was a good midfielder who always put a shift no matter what, and it was pleasure to watch him play for City during the 70's..................
Prestwich_Blue
Well-Known Member
He had an Indian Summer to his career that season (which was his last with us) as he was played further forward and scored half a dozen goals.WyongBlue said:Remember Alan scoring against Middlesbrough in the 75/76 League Cup Semi, I was in the North Stand that night and it was a cracking goal he scored, he was a good midfielder who always put a shift no matter what, and it was pleasure to watch him play for City during the 70's..................
Mad Eyed Screamer
Moderator
WyongBlue said:Remember Alan scoring against Middlesbrough in the 75/76 League Cup Semi, I was in the North Stand that night and it was a cracking goal he scored, he was a good midfielder who always put a shift no matter what, and it was pleasure to watch him play for City during the 70's..................
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXLc1CYZoqw[/video]
Prestwich_Blue said:He had an Indian Summer to his career that season (which was his last with us) as he was played further forward and scored half a dozen goals.WyongBlue said:Remember Alan scoring against Middlesbrough in the 75/76 League Cup Semi, I was in the North Stand that night and it was a cracking goal he scored, he was a good midfielder who always put a shift no matter what, and it was pleasure to watch him play for City during the 70's..................
IIRC, Ron Saunders didn't seem to rate him and had dropped him, first preferring Tony Towers and then swapping Towers for Mick Horswill from Sunderland. When Saunders was sacked, Book restored Oakes to the team and in 1974/5 he played in a midfield three alongside Hartford and Bell. For balance in that line-up, Oakes as the most defensively minded of the three usually sat deeper. The next season, when Bell was injured, Tommy Booth played most of the season in midfield alongside Oakes and Hartford. With Booth being a converted centre-half, he was happy to cover when Oakes got forward and the result was Alan notching a few more goals.
Oakes left in the summer of 1976 to go to Chester as a player-coach and fairly quickly became player-manager. I do suspect that he dropped down the leagues a bit early and could have played in the old First Division for another year or two.
By the way, there's another long-range shot by him here, in the ECWC against Athletic Bilbao in October 1969:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfCw_xhbLdI[/video]
EDIT - Actually, according to Wiki, Oakes played only 15 games in 1972/3 and 33 in 1973/4. However, he didn't play in the LC final against Wolves and I think Horswill was seen as a replacement for the role of partnering Colin Bell. However, Oakes fought off that challenge, and was pretty much an automatic choice for his remaining two seasons at the club.
ColinBellsjockstrap
Well-Known Member
Alan was one of the finest players ever to grace Maine Road. He never complained, just got on with the job. Agree with the comments re Bobby Moore, a great player.
Liverpool manager Bill Shankly described Alan as "exactly the kind of player youngsters should use as a model". He made 680 league and cup appearances for Manchester City, scoring 33 goals.
Liverpool manager Bill Shankly described Alan as "exactly the kind of player youngsters should use as a model". He made 680 league and cup appearances for Manchester City, scoring 33 goals.
ifiwasarichfan
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Prestwich_Blue said:He had an Indian Summer to his career that season (which was his last with us) as he was played further forward and scored half a dozen goals.WyongBlue said:Remember Alan scoring against Middlesbrough in the 75/76 League Cup Semi, I was in the North Stand that night and it was a cracking goal he scored, he was a good midfielder who always put a shift no matter what, and it was pleasure to watch him play for City during the 70's..................
This is pretty much as I remember it.
ifiwasarichfan
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petrusha said:Prestwich_Blue said:He had an Indian Summer to his career that season (which was his last with us) as he was played further forward and scored half a dozen goals.WyongBlue said:Remember Alan scoring against Middlesbrough in the 75/76 League Cup Semi, I was in the North Stand that night and it was a cracking goal he scored, he was a good midfielder who always put a shift no matter what, and it was pleasure to watch him play for City during the 70's..................
IIRC, Ron Saunders didn't seem to rate him and had dropped him, first preferring Tony Towers and then swapping Towers for Mick Horswill from Sunderland. When Saunders was sacked, Book restored Oakes to the team and in 1974/5 he played in a midfield three alongside Hartford and Bell. For balance in that line-up, Oakes as the most defensively minded of the three usually sat deeper. The next season, when Bell was injured, Tommy Booth played most of the season in midfield alongside Oakes and Hartford. With Booth being a converted centre-half, he was happy to cover when Oakes got forward and the result was Alan notching a few more goals.
Oakes left in the summer of 1976 to go to Chester as a player-coach and fairly quickly became player-manager. I do suspect that he dropped down the leagues a bit early and could have played in the old First Division for another year or two.
By the way, there's another long-range shot by him here, in the ECWC against Athletic Bilbao in October 1969:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfCw_xhbLdI[/video]
EDIT - Actually, according to Wiki, Oakes played only 15 games in 1972/3 and 33 in 1973/4. However, he didn't play in the LC final against Wolves and I think Horswill was seen as a replacement for the role of partnering Colin Bell. However, Oakes fought off that challenge, and was pretty much an automatic choice for his remaining two seasons at the club.
I didn't remember this though. Two Seasons where he hardly played and as an ageing player he had to fight his way back into the side.
ifiwasarichfan
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I have heard a story that when he was Manager of Chester and Big Mal was sniffing around Ian Rush, Oakes told Rush he had to sign for the Mickeys and not us.
Can anybody add to this ?
Can anybody add to this ?
oakiecokie
Well-Known Member
ifiwasarichfan said:I have heard a story that when he was Manager of Chester and Big Mal was sniffing around Ian Rush, Oakes told Rush he had to sign for the Mickeys and not us.
Can anybody add to this ?
I am almost certain that is not correct,but I will check that out with Alan the next time I see him.
I am almost certain he told City about this young player and Swales didn`t think he was worth it.The rest is history and Rush became one of the most prolific goalscorers in modern day football.
Another dropped bollock,but then it just wouldn`t be City,would it ?
ifiwasarichfan
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oakiecokie said:ifiwasarichfan said:I have heard a story that when he was Manager of Chester and Big Mal was sniffing around Ian Rush, Oakes told Rush he had to sign for the Mickeys and not us.
Can anybody add to this ?
I am almost certain that is not correct,but I will check that out with Alan the next time I see him.
I am almost certain he told City about this young player and Swales didn`t think he was worth it.The rest is history and Rush became one of the most prolific goalscorers in modern day football.
Another dropped bollock,but then it just wouldn`t be City,would it ?
Considering we are talking about "Typical" City; - is it really worth waiting for Oakie to go to all the trouble ?
Mad Eyed Screamer
Moderator
I recall Oakes telling Big Mal to sign him but he didn't rate Rush. Liverpool stepped in and took him and we signed Bobby Shinton ha ha
oakiecokie said:ifiwasarichfan said:I have heard a story that when he was Manager of Chester and Big Mal was sniffing around Ian Rush, Oakes told Rush he had to sign for the Mickeys and not us.
Can anybody add to this ?
I am almost certain that is not correct,but I will check that out with Alan the next time I see him.
I am almost certain he told City about this young player and Swales didn`t think he was worth it.The rest is history and Rush became one of the most prolific goalscorers in modern day football.
Another dropped bollock,but then it just wouldn`t be City,would it ?
I think this is the version that's likely to be closest to the truth. IIRC, it wasn't that Mal didn't rate the player but rather that Mal didn't think Rush was ready to play first-team football in the top flight immediately. If so, Mal was absolutely right - Liverpool didn't give Rush a regular starting place for about 18 months after they signed him.
My memory is that I've heard the deal fell down because Swales wouldn't pay the GBP 300K fee for a player who was going to be playing in the reserves for a fair while after signing.
Gary James
Well-Known Member
I interviewed Alan in 2005 at his house. He was a great guy to meet and was totally open about his career. Much of what he said I included in an interview I published in the MCFC match prog that year. Here's the bit on Ian Rush:
Ian Rush was one of your players. Is it true he almost came to City?
Yes it is. Whenever anybody with talent was due to leave Chester I would want them to move to a bigger, better club. I still love City and so I wanted Rushie to go to Maine Road. We were having a great cup run and Tony Book and Malcolm Allison came to watch him. Rush scored twice and I met up with Tony and Malcolm afterwards. Tony was keen to sign him but Malcolm didn’t rate him for some reason and it all collapsed. He later went to Liverpool and the rest is history, but I wanted him to go to Maine Road and I wish that deal had occurred. Of course, you never know how these things would have worked out.
Ian Rush was one of your players. Is it true he almost came to City?
Yes it is. Whenever anybody with talent was due to leave Chester I would want them to move to a bigger, better club. I still love City and so I wanted Rushie to go to Maine Road. We were having a great cup run and Tony Book and Malcolm Allison came to watch him. Rush scored twice and I met up with Tony and Malcolm afterwards. Tony was keen to sign him but Malcolm didn’t rate him for some reason and it all collapsed. He later went to Liverpool and the rest is history, but I wanted him to go to Maine Road and I wish that deal had occurred. Of course, you never know how these things would have worked out.
Gary James
Well-Known Member
I posted the interview to my facebook account if anybody is interested in learning more about Alan Oakes: <a class="postlink" href="https://www.facebook.com/GaryJames4?ref=hl#!/GaryJames4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">https://www.facebook.com/GaryJames4?ref=hl#!/GaryJames4</a>